Re: Blighted Ovum

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message: vicki: "Re: Paternity"
• Previous message: Kathy: "Re: effacing"
• Maybe in reply to: Belinda: "Blighted Ovum"
• Next in thread: Belinda: "Re: Blighted Ovum"
• Reply: Belinda: "Re: Blighted Ovum"

by David L Fay, MD Family Physician Christie Clinic Association Champaign, IL

What is a blighted ovum and what causes it?

A blighted ovum is a fertilized egg which implants in the uterus, begins to devlop a gestational sac (the gestational sac eventually forms the membranes), but never develops a fetus. The cause is not known. These are eventually re-absorbed by the body, usually with a small amount of vaginal bleeding, and generally require no further treatment. A blighted ovum does not increase the risk of future miscarriage. ================================================================= Blighted ovum Answered by Peg Plumbo, CNM

Q: I've had two blighted ova since June. What causes this and what can be done about it? Should I be concerned? I am getting very upset and depressed.

A: The term blighted ovum has come to be synonymous with miscarriage, but generally it refers to the absence of fetal tissue detected in the pathology exam of any specimen following a miscarriage. Most of the time, the fetal tissue has already been passed or may have deteriorated.

Chromosomal abnormalities are responsible for about half of the miscarriages that occur before 12 weeks. Fetal death almost always precedes miscarriage, and the death may be related to many different things: abnormal development, uterine or hormonal problems, infection, thyroid problems, diabetes, progesterone deficiency and environmental factors. The list just goes on and on. Usually, we just don't know why women miscarry.

Some providers do not feel it is cost effective to do a work-up until a woman has miscarried twice or even three times. This is due to studies which show that most women will retain the third pregnancy (or fourth) just as successfully whether an investigation is made or not.

I feel that other factors must be considered, however, and age is one of them. Fifty to 60 percent of all early spontaneous abortions are associated with a chromosomal abnormality, but without an obvious, strong family history, as genetic testing is not usually done after one or two miscarriages. However, a study for antiphospholipid antibodies, including the lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies, could be done now.

Rarely, a lack of progesterone from the corpus luteum (where the egg ruptures) can cause miscarriage. Measuring progesterone and doing an endometrial biopsy following ovulation can sometimes diagnose this problem.

From a nutritional and environmental perspective, unless deprivation or exposure is extreme, these are rarely causes of recurrent miscarriage. Coffee consumption in excess of four cups per day has been associated with miscarriage in some studies and, of course, smoking and alcohol consumption have been implicated as well. I would just eat a well balanced diet.

The following are some books available on the subject:

"How To Prevent Miscarriage And Other Crises Of Pregnancy" Stefan Semchyshyn and Carol Colman; foreword by Frederick P. Zuspan. New York: Macmillan, 1989

"Miscarriage: a Shattered Dream" By Sherokee Ilse and Linda Hammer Burns Wintergreen Press, 1985

"Preventing Miscarriage: The Good News" Jonathan Scher, Carol Dix. New York: Harper & Row, 1990

I am sorry that this has happened and I hope you are getting lots of support.

Ask the Expert | Send to a Friend | Print Article

Please Note: This iVillage/ParentsPlace.com service area is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned about your health or that of a child's, please consult your family's health care provider immediately and do not wait for a response from our professionals. iVillage, Inc. Legal Disclaimer. ================================================================= Blighted Ovum Expert: Nancy Kraus, C.N.M. [See Biography]

Question: What is a blighted ovum? I recently lost a baby because of it--does this mean I'll miscarry again next time I'm pregnant? When can I try to conceive again?

Nancy: A blighted ovum is the cause of about 50 percent of first-trimester miscarriages. An egg is fertilized and attaches itself to the uterine wall, but the embryo doesn't develop further. Cells develop to form the pregnancy sac, but not the embryo itself. There may be no bleeding to signal a problem; later, though, the woman may notice a brown discharge. She may not realize she has a blighted ovum until her healthcare provider fails to detect a heartbeat or an ultrasound reveals an empty gestational sac. A blighted ovum can be the result of chromosomal problems. In some cases, the egg or the sperm may be of poor quality. While in the past many women miscarried blighted ovum pregnancies without knowing what had happened, today, technologies such as ultrasound can examine exactly what is going on inside the womb so the diagnosis is becoming more common.

Although repeated miscarriages are emotionally traumatic, fertility experts don't consider a woman to have a problem with miscarriage until she has had three or more consecutive losses. If this happens, your healthcare provider may order blood tests and genetic tests to find out what is causing the problem.

After a first-trimester miscarriage, a woman will usually ovulate in a few weeks; you should get your period soon after that. Midwives and doctors recommend waiting at least one additional menstrual cycle before trying to conceive again. http://www.BabyCenter.com/

You may reply to me at: <kat52gre@excite.com>

• Next message: vicki: "Re: Paternity"
• Previous message: Kathy: "Re: effacing"
• Maybe in reply to: Belinda: "Blighted Ovum"
• Next in thread: Belinda: "Re: Blighted Ovum"
• Reply: Belinda: "Re: Blighted Ovum"